In certain surgical scenarios a small terminal bone fragment has to be fixed to a bone. Such scenarios comprise, for example, the treatment of fractures of the lateral malleolus. For many years, so-called hook plates have been used in such cases for fracture fixation.
U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2009/0275991 A1 (“the '991 Application”) describes a hook plate with an elongated body portion and a hook portion extending from one end of the body portion. The hook portion comprises two hooks for grasping a bone fragment. In the body portion, multiple attachment openings are provided for attaching the hook plate to the bone. The attachment openings include several circular screw holes as well as a further screw hole having an oblong form.
The '991 Application also describes a surgical procedure for fracture fixation using the hook plate. In an initial surgical step, pilot holes for the two hooks of the hook plate are drilled in a bone fragment. Then, the hooks are advanced into the pilot holes using a hammer. Full axial insertion of the hooks causes the elongate body portion to come to rest against the bone. In a final step, bone screws are inserted through the circular and oblong screw holes for a firm attachment of the hook plate at the bone.
There is a need for a hook plate that facilitates a surgical procedure of fixing a bone fragment to bone.